Loose-leaf binder



Feb. 4, 1930-. J. McMlLLAN 1,745,684

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Jan. 19. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z1 1 L i [20 16 v INVENTORJ j/m L M AIM/m, BY

7 i EA TTORNEXS: I

Feb. 4, 1930. J McM ILLAN 1,745,684

LOOSE LEAF BINDER I Filed Jan. ,19. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: M067 L. M /VI'I/an,

ATTORNEYS;

I Patented d Feb. 4, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Joann. MCM ILLLA N, or SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, assrenoa T0 MCMIL AN BOOK ooM-.

PANY, or sYRAoUsnnEw YORK, A ooRroaA'rIoNor new YORK "LO0SELEAF "BINDER Application filed January i .This inventionpertains'to that class of loose leaf binders commonly used for minute books, record books, and the like, and employing a back and cover-boards provided at or neai the hinge lines connecting the boards and the vback, withmetallic housings firmly secured to the cover-boards, and each having a tubular portion provided with openings to receive the perforated ends of links which bridge the space between said members, and

upon which are threaded or strung suitably perforatedsheets making up thebook. The tubular portions contain longitudinally movablebars: provided with hinge-pins or pintles'of a length somewhat greater than the I openingsmade to receive the link ends, so i that when properly adjusted the hinge pins pass through the links, bridge and reach beyond said openings, and are covered or housed "1 within the tubular portions. c.

wThe invention is directedparticularly to means for locking the sliding bars, thus preventingremoval of a leaf or leaves, or'the' introduction or substitution of leaves, except :by, or through co-operation of, the custodian of a key controllingthe locking device.

Record and minute books require to be well protected against falsification through sub stitution of leaves, or removal, alteration,

and replacement of leaves. "Though, some timeswrlttenin long-hand, such minutes and records are now qulte commonly typewritten.

Whether the records be pen written'or typewritten,"it is much more convenient to have the sheets entirely free and out of the binder while'makinguentries,and mechanism is accordingly provided for normally locking the binder, and- {for unlocking the'same wlie'n necvessary toremove,insert, or replacefleaves. Severaltypes 'of' 'locking devices have been employed for this purposabut so far as I am aware, none ofthese has proven entirely sat ,isfactory The {construction which I shall now describe'in connection with the accompanying drawingsfls believed 'to meet all requirements, and: is s mple, strong,and secure.

"In thesedrawlingsz v I c I Figure 1 is a perspective view on a reduced scale showing a book embodying my inven- 19, 1925. Serial No. 3,429.

tion, opened to display the exposed parts of the mechanism; v

Figs. 2, 3 and 4, face elevations of one of the cover-boards, showing the metallic h0us ings, its contained sliding pintle bar, and the look by which said bar is held against longi tudinal movement, the parts being shown in the different positions they assume in operation;

Fig. 5, a perspective View of one of the metallic members in which the sliding pintle bar and the locking mechanism are mounted showing one of theleaf-carrying links in position; i

Fig. 6, a perspective View of the sliding pintle bar I r Fig.7, a View showing the lock-bolt slight- 1y, protruded from its casing, and holding back the detent.

' these drawings,1 indicates the binder comprising a back 2 and two'cover-boards 3 and 4, each having the hinge connection with the back common to book bindings generally, that is to say, formed, by flexible material (leather, fabric, or other), and without any contained board or stiffening in the flexing part proper; Any usual type of hinge joint connecting the back and the boards maybe employed. Firmly secured to the inner edge or margin of each cover-board'is a metallic housing 5, conveniently and preferably formed of sheet metal suitably stamped and folded to produce at the folded edge a substantially complete hollow cylinder or barrel 6. This barrel is cut-away at intervals to which is thickened or provided with ahead 10 of rounded or cylindrical form, and of a diameter toproduce a free sliding fit within the barrel 6. At suitable intervals in its length the inner edge of the bar 9 is cut away as shown in Fig. 6. to leavegaps or openings 11 equal'in length to the length of'the open- 100;

ings 7 in the barrel 6, and to produce pintles 12 as seen in said figure. The bar 9 is further provided on the edge opposite that on which the pintles 12 are formed, with a notch or seat 13 to receive the end of a lock bolt 14 and a detent 15, which latter at certain times engages over the Outer end of the lock bolt and holds said bolt against movement outward from its casing 16. v Bar 9 is also furnished with a serrated button or plate l? pro.- vided With a stem or shank which passes through an opening 18 in the metallic housing 5, the stem allowing for the thickness of said housing, and permitting the button 17 to lie above the same in convenient position to be moved by the thumb or finger, and thus to slide bar 9 longitudinally;

The lock shell or case 16 is riveted or otherwise made fast to the housing 5, the coverboard being cut away to afford space for said lock case. The lockhere shown is of the wellknown Yale type employing a flat key 19, one longitudinal edge of which is fashioned to act upon tumblers 20 having slots to receive a rib 21 of the bolt 14 when the tumblers are thrown by the key to aline their slots with within the lock-case in addition to the bolt ancl t umblers, and is normally urged toward the lock-bolt by a spring 22, but is limited in its movementa stop '23, the overhanging hen the pintle bar is given a full movement longitudinally to the right with the parts arranged as shown in the several figures of the drawing, the. pintles 12 are projected across the openings 7, as seen in 3, bridg-- ing said spaces and passing through the per forations 24 of the links 8. As before mentioned, under this construction and arrange ment the free ends of the pintles 12 extend beyond the openings 7 and beneath the barrels 6, thus afiording a firm hold for the pintles against stress or pull upon the links 8. When the bar 9 is thus. shot or moved to-link-retain- I ing position, thelock-bolt 14, under the expansion or pressure of a spring 25, is thrown outward into thenotch or seat 13 of pintle bar 9, as shown in Fig. 2, thedetent 15 at such time being-thrown to the left and prevented by the lock-bolt 14 from swinging to the right, The longitudinal movement of bar 9 in looking direction is limited by the shank of button or plate 17, and also detent 15, hence-said bar will be arrested in its movemerits back and forth either by the detent 15 or by lock-bolt 14 if the latter be projected.

The bar can in no casebe withdrawn from the housing 5 except through force sufficient to break the parts of the mechanism.

'Whenthe key 19 is inserted and swung in the arc of a circle, it forces back the tumblers 20 and draws down the bolt 14 clear of its seat in bar 9, whereupon the detent 15, under the force of spring 22, moves to the right until arrested by the stop 23 which it over: hangs sufliciently to stand in the path of and l engage the outer end of theretractedbolt 14, thus preventing said bolt from moving outward even though the key be turned to its entering position and withdrawn from the casing. The bar 9 is thereupon movedlongitudinally to the left, thus withdrawingthe' several pintles 12 simultaneously from'the rebolt 14 which, under the force of spring 25,

moves outwardinto contact with the under side of the pintle bar.

I In ig. the bar 9 is shown at about the midlength of its movement to the left or in the direction indicated by arrowfin' said figure, but it willbe obvious that-continuation of the movement will force-back the detent 15 and release the lock-bolt14, which will then bear against the edge of pintle bar 9 and hold it against accidental shifting or displacement. This is advantageous in that it prevents the pintle bar from sliding forward of its own weight in handling the binder While the links arerfreedat one end,and

thereby preventing theproper replacement and locking of the links.

Theoperation of the device will, it is be lieved, be clearly understood from the foregoing. description, and as before indicated, it is intended that each book shallhave a lock requiring a key unlike that of any other look, so that the book may be unlocked only by -the proper custodian of its special-key. In operating the device'the bar-9, when unlocked, should be moved its full distance in the linkreleasi'ng direction so thatjthe lock-bolt 14, under the urgeofspring 25, mayQri-se slightly in front ofthe overhanging end ofjdetent 15, when said detent is forced back byQthe right-hand end wallofseat or notch 13. I The lock-boltfwill thus prevent,re-engagement of the detent over the end of theibolt, so that when the pintle bar 9 is again moved its full distance in looking y direction, lock-bolt. 14 may enter its seat 13 and lock the bar. This slight movement ofbolt 14 intov the path of detent 15 when the latter is forced tothe left, is permitted by the slight distance between the outer end of'the retracted'bolt and the proximate edge of the bar '9.

It is deemed desirable to provide the binder both at front and rear with 'a'pintle bar and I locking means such as here described, in

Order that either cover may be freed at will, and leaves be inserted or removed at the front or a't-the back of the book, as may be more convenient in any particular case. It is obvlous, however, that one pintle maybe permanently' secured in place,- 1Il"Wl11Cl1 case the V pintle may be simply a continuous wire passing through one end of each of the several links, and ma'de fast in themetallic housing 5 in any convenient way. This would, of

' course,permit application and removal of the I leaves from one end of the links only, andis seen that the pintle bar is directly' and manually actuated to move it into and out of-lockjing engagementwith the sheet-carrying links,

" and is locked and released by a separate and distinct lock-bolt, controlled by a keywhich performs no other function. This I believe to be broadly new in loose leaf binders.

His particularlyftojbe noted that under the above describedconstruction the key may beinserted into the lock, the lockbolt withdrawn, the pintlebar moved in link-releasing I 1 lows. the custodian o-ffthe key to-release the linksand permit insertion or removal of the.

direction, andithe key withdrawn; This alsheet' o'r sheets by the typist or other trusted employee, while said custodian may take the key. away,- the links-being again engaged and the pintle bar looked through the mere sliding 'of saidbar itsfull distance in 'pintle en gaging direction. Thecustodian of the key is ,tl usen'abledto have th'e key always in his possession, while permitting the typist or 1 v otheremployee to dowhatever is necessary,

i andithen tolock the 'binderwithout the aid of :-5:O i v sheets to be laidflat upon the cover-board as said key. I, lt' lil'rewis e allows the leaves for j they are removed-from'the links,whichj could i 7 not be donewere'the key left in the lock.

It is to be understood that the term seat asfapplie'dto the notch or recessin each pint'le carrying bar contemplates any seat in or.

(many convenient portion of the bar, though the s imple notchin the'edge of the bar is preferred." "A .flglVh'at'I claim is I'.- i

'11 A looseleaf binder of the character described, comprising a back and fcover-boards hinged: to said back ;'pintle ,.barrels located at or nearthe junctions of theback and coverboards and provided with openings to receive connecting links; links extending between saidbarrels and having their ends seated in theopenings therein; pintles carried by said barrels and extending through the link ends; a bar connecting the pintles of one barrel and serving to move them into and out of engagement with the links,said bar being provided with a seat for a locking bolt; a lock secured to the cover-'boardin proximity to said bar and having a'spring pressed bolt adapted to enter the seat therein; and a detent movable into position to prevent projection of the bolt to locking position when withdrawn therefrom and until the pintle bar is moved to pintle-withdrawing direction a distance sufiicient to disengage said detent from the locking bolt. I a I 2; A loose leaf binder of the character described, provided with leaf-carrying links and withpintles for attaching the ends of said links'to the cover-boards of the binder; abar connecting the pintles for one end of said links, provided withaseat' to receive a bolt; a key-controlled spring pressed bolt movable into and out of said seat and serving to lock and to releasethe pintles carried by said bar; and a detent movable int-o engaging relation with the lock-bolt to 'hold it against projection when retracted by the key, and releasable by the pintle-carrying bar when said bar is moved a predetermined distance in pintle releasing direction.

3. In a loose leaf binder of the character described, and in combination with a pintlecarrying bar having a seat to receivea' looking bolt; a'lock having a spring pressed bolt tending to move automatically outward to enter theseat of said bar; and a detent-tending to move vautomatically into holding relation with said bolt whenthe same is retracted by thej key of the lock, the pintle carrying bar serving when moved in pintle-withdrawing direction, to remove the detent from itsboltholding adjustment and thus to permit projection of the boltsulficient to prevent return of the detent to bolt-holdingposition, and to enable said bolt to exert frictional pressure upon the bar,'tending to prevent accidental longitudinal movement thereof.

.7 4. In aloose leaf binder of the' character described, and in combination with a pintlecarrying bar having a seat to receive a locking bolt; a lo'ck'having a spring pressed bolt tending to move automatically outward toenter the seat of said bar; a detent tending to move automatically intoholding" relation with said bolt when thesameis retracted by the key of the lock, the pintl'e carrying" bar serving when moved in pintle-withdrawing directiomto remove'the detentfrom its boltholding adjustment and thus to permit'projection of the bolt suflicientto prevent return of the detent to bolt-holding position, and to enable said bolt to exert frictional pressure upon the bar, tending toprevent accidental tle type, comprising a plurality of leaf-car longitudinal movement thereof, said bar. fur ther serving when moved in pintle-inserting direction to bring the bolt-receiving seat into alinement with the bolt to permit such bolt toenter'saidseat.

5. In aloose leaf binder of the character described, leaf-carrying links; a pintlebar for holding said links, having a bolt-receiving seat in its edge; a lock having a spring projected bolt to enter said seat when the bar is moved to pintle-engaging position; a key for withdrawing the lock bolt from its seat; a detent for engaging the lock bolt when retraeted and holding said bolt out of the path of the pintle bar, said detent extending into the bolt seat in said bar and thus into the path thereof, the bolt seat in the pintle slide being so located that its end wall shall pass over the lock bolt as the pintle bar begins its pintle-releasing movement and shall engage and force back thedetent as such releasing movement terminates, thus releasing the locking bolt. and: permitting it under the urge of its spring. to press against the pintle bar and prevent accidental movement thereof in pintle-engaging direction. e

6. A loose leaf bindercomprising a back and cover boards hinged to said back; pintle barrels carried by said cover boards and having openings to receive the ends of leaf-scar rying links; plntles mounted in said barrels;

links bridging the space between said barrels and perforated at their ends to receive the pintles of the respective barrels; a bar car.- rying the pintles of one of said barrels and provided with a seat'to receive a locking bolt; a lock :carriedlby the cover boart which saidbarrel issecured, havinga sprmgprojected bolt to enter the seat in the pintle bar; and a spring-pressed detent forholding the lock bolt in its retracted position when the pintle bar begins ianduntil it completes its pintle:releasing movement, said detent'being in the path of movement of the pintle bar and removable from bolt-retaining position by the pintle slide as the latter completes its, movement in pintle-releasing direction.

. d 7. A loose leaf binder of the link and pinry-ing links; a barflcarrying pintles for attaching said links to the binder and for re: leasing the same, said bar being, provided with a seat to receive a locking bolt; a looking bolt adapted automatically to enter the "seat when said seat is brought'lnto register with said-bolt; anda detent engageable with thelocking bolt to hold it in its retracted position during partial pintle-releasing movement of the pintle bar, and disengageable from said bar upon completion of its pintlerreleasing movement.

8. A loose leaf'bindercomprising a pin.- rality of leaf+carrying links, pintles forat: taching the ends of saidlinks to the binder, a

pintle bar connecting {the pintles for corre sponding ends of said links and provided with a seat, a lock bolt,spring means tending to project said bolt into said seat to look i the pintle bar against endwise' movement, key-actuated means for retracting the bolt,

retaining means separate from the key-actue ated means for holding the bolt in retracted position to permit removal of the key withp out relocking the pintle bar., I

9.- A lose leaf binder comprising a plurality of leaf-carrying links, pintles for attaching the ends of said links to the binder, a pintle bar connecting the pintles for corre: sponding ends of said links and provided with a seat, a lock bolt, spring means tending to project said bolt into said seat to lock the pintle baragainst endwise movement, key- 7 actuated means for retracting the bolt, and retaining means separate from the key-act n ate d means for holding the bolt in retracted position to permit removal of the key without re-locking the pintle bar, said retaining means lying in the path of movement of a portion of the pintle bar and adapted to be moved from its bolt-retaining position bycontact of the pintle bar.

10. A loose leaf binder comprising a pluralityof leaf-carrying links,-pintles for at- 1 taching the ends of said links tothe binder, a pintle bar connecting the pintles for corresponding ends of said links and provided with a seat, a lock bolt, spring'means tending to project said bolt into said seat to lock the pintle bar'against endwise movement, key actuated means for retractingthe bolt, and

retaining means separate from the key-a tu ated means for holding the bolt in retracted position to permit removal of the key without relocking the pintle bar, .said retaining means lying in the path of movement of a Pe ien o the i l b r and adapted t e moved from its bolt-retaining position by contact of the pintle bar during longitudinal movement ofthe latter in a direction to re lease the'leaf-carrying links from engage ment with the pintles. 7 v i 11. Aloose leaf bi der comprising aplurality of leaf-carrying links, means for attaching said links to the binder including a 1 member havinga seat, a bolt=reciprocable in s 1 said seat forlockmg sa d member, and a 1' rockable: detent to engage and be disengaged from therbolt.

2: A 1 0 1 rality of leaf-carrying links, means for at said seatforlooking said member, and a rockable detent to engage-and be disengagedfrom the bolt, said rockable detent lying in the path of movementof said member so as to be rocked thereby to release the bolt.

leafbinder comprising a plu I 39 In testimony whereof I have signed it nameto this specification.

JOHN L- MQMI LAN- 

